Method of forming and applying signs and the like



Nov. l11, `1941. A. J. LAWS 2,262,400

METHOD OF FORMING AND APPLYINGI SIGNS AND THE LIKE Filed May 4, 1959 /N Vf/v TOR; RTHURJAWS '22 @ANDRS ltw A y Sxluw HG. /0 Arron/vans.

Patented Nov. 11, 1941 .s v t 2,262,400 t f MErHoDioFFoRMING AND ABPLYING p SIGNS AND TnEHLnrE r Art-nur J. Laws, Avon take, Ichit, assigner@ The le,

International Transparency Company, Cleve-` land', 0hio,a corporation ofOhio Application May 4" 1939fS1-il- Nafzvnvn 5 claims. `(ci. 4m-:1525) This invention, as indicated, relates .to method of forming and applying signs and the like. More` particularly, the invention relates vtothe application of signs `to transparent or translucent supports, such as `Window glass, showcases, and similar articles. The invention involves the use of a temporarily iattachable guide sheen, and preferably a flexibleadhesive guide sheet in `conjunctionwith a supporting member iorL the sign, formed of -sufliciently `transparent material to permit such guide lines to vbe visible therethrough, and the application of component elements of the sign ordesign .to such `surface improper alinement land spacingfrom adjacent elements facilitatedby the. guide lines of said flexible temporary guide sheet. The guidesheet `is preferably formed of .transparent or ,highly` translucent material iniorder that adequate visibility Will be provided for applying letters or characters Vto the inner surfaceof a'shoW-Window, glass door, or the like, with the .assistance of the daylight or other illumination `received through suchsupporting member. The invention has par--` ticular value in connection with `the ,settingI into position `of precut individual letters,`particularly i those of the iiexible, adhesive, transparency type,

-si-milanslow adheringcharacters for the sign;`

abundantltime.is provided to arrange and rearrange and adjust thealinement and `spacing of such characters before removing the guide sheet' from .thefoppos-ite, surface of the transparent body. Inthis mannerno particles of` the guide and also .for `metal foil, proc'elain, enamel, glass,v

decalcomania 4and similar types. of letters. In the case of enamel letters and the like, the guide` sheet is placed on the `inner surface and the letters on the outer surface of the window. `Such inner positionof the guidesheets is also` used where the sign `is paintedon` the outside of the Window.

. Heretofere it lhas been the `practice in supplyi ingprecut letters or in `painting or formingletters-upon transparent material to treat` thesame much in the manner of solid material by drawing guide lines or snapping a chalk .line to serve as a parallel Aguide to .provide a horizontal level `for, the line of lettering. Where a sign or the like is to be applied to` a transparent or ,semi-trans# parentbody, it is nowpracticable with the present invention to provide a vflexible adhesive4 guide sheet having spaced horizontal, ,andverticaL or curved, guide lines, and attach such ,guide ,sheet to the opposite face of I.the translucent `body over the area Within which` the characters of the sign are to be positioned, and thereafter to apply, or* aiiix, `or paint, such characters on 4the opposite sideof such transparentbody using the guide and spacing lines of. thev .guide `sheet to,` accurately position the individual `characters to form the completed sign. Through `the use of adhesive somewhat slow setting guide sheets as well as sheet will adhere to such opposite surface of the transparent body to which ,the sign is attached, andthe characters of thev sign will later set into firm adhesion to the surface to which theyA are attached. In ,addition to the characters of the sign` applied as stated, before the removal ofthe flexible adhesive guide sheet, it is desirable to apply a suitable backing Isheet `which may be transparenatranslucent, or opaque, as desired,

to suitably set off. the lettersor characters of the sign, as` seen from .the street. `In addition to the ilexible guide sheet `serving as a means for applying ,and positioning plecut separate characters to form a sign, it will also serve as ,a means for locating `a plurality ofilexible adhesive signassemblies overa window surface, as Well as pro` videguide 4lines for the `application to such' Window surfacefof letters formed by painting or otherwise applying letters or characters to the inner surface of the Window. Such `guide sheets practically eliminate the 'necessity `of any preliminary `measurements to locate theposition of the sign, inasmuch as with, the spacing lines thereon, each guide `sheet `itself provides the markings and measuring units fromwhich the signmaybe accurately centered and the spacing of `the letters, in accordance withstandard prae-4 tice, may be uniformly brought about.

The principal `object of the present invention is to `provide, a method of applying letters and ornamentalV characters and `designs of various types to 'transparent or` semi-transparent supporting members through the medium of a guide sheet having suitably spaced guidelines thereon which `may be horizontal, vertical, or curved, as required,` to permit `alinement ci the characters-of the sign and suitable'spacing thereof.

Another object of the invention is rto, provide a standardized-methodof applying individual signs of asingle Aproduction Atype `to-storewindovvs or the like, .through the useof ayguide sheet` having suitable lines thereon so that satisfactory alinement andspacing of such signs can be4 made by partieshaving little or no previous experience in thisiline. f

` Another object of the invention is to provide a methodutilizing a `guide sheet of ilexible transparent material having suitable lines for the .alinern'ent :and yspacing of lthe characters of a sign, and a plurality of precut flexible adhesive characters to form the sign, such characters being adapted to be moved to position and adjusted with precision preliminary to their becoming permanently affixed to the window surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method utilizing a flexible adhesive transparent guide sheet having suitable lines thereon to serve as means for alining and spacing the characters of a sign, such guide sheet being preferably provided with relatively slow setting adhesive to permit its secure attachment to a window surface temporarily and its removal or stripping therefrom after the attachment of such characters on the opposite surface of the window.

VAnother object of the invention is to provide a method utilizing a unit comprising a guide sheet of adhesive flexible transparent material having suitable lines for the alinement and spacing of the characters of a sign, and a plurality of precut flexible adhesive characters to form the sign, such characters being adapted to be moved to position and. adjusted with precision preliminary to their becoming permanently axed to the window surface; and also providing a flexible transparent, translucent, or opaque, backing sheet for the individual letters of the sign to be applied over such letters and against the window surface to which such letters are attached to afford a color contrast with or without transparent effects, with the letters of the sign, the guide sheet serving as a means for positioning and alining the backing sheet.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail the elements of a sign structure and the method and means of applying the same, such disclosed procedure and product constituting, however, but several of various applications of the principles of the invention.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary rear elevation, with portions broken away, showing a show-Window with a guide sheet applied to the outer face thereof and with sign characters and a backing sheet applied to the inner face thereof;

Fig. 2 is an, enlarged transverse sectional view showing a portion of a show-window with a guide sheet in course of application thereto;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, showing a guide sheet applied to one side of the window and flexible adhesive characters applied to the opposite side thereof;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the application of a backing sheet over the sign characters shown in Fig. 3, as seen along the line 4-4 indicated in Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 4, showing the completed sign after the removal of the temporarily attached guide sheet from the outer window surface;

Fig.v 6 is a fragmentary view of a guide sheet wherein the alining guide lines are drawn as curves transversely of the same and the spacing guide lines are drawn as radii;

Fig. l'is a fragmentary view of a guide sheet wherein the alining lines present reverse curves, and the spacing lines comprise radii from centers below and above the area of such guide sheet, respectively;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of a backing sheet;

Fig. 9 is a view of a precut adhesive flexible individual letter; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view showing the combination of a single production sign with a conventional quantity production sign unit.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, a transparent supporting surface, in the case illustrated being the glass I of the show-window having a suitable frame 2, has temporarily applied to the outer surface thereof by adhesive or other suitable means, alining element, preferably a flexible transparent guide sheet 3 having parallel horizontal spacings and alinement lines 4 and having parallel vertical spacing and alinement lines 5. Such guide sheet 3 is positioned approximately centrally over the area to be occupied by the sign on the outer surface of the show-window, as seen in cross-section in Fig. 3. In the sign indicated in the drawing, precut letters 6 suitable to form copy matter, for example, the name of the store proprietor, are selected, such letters preferably being of the flexible adhesive transparency type adapted when moistened with water to adhere to the glass surface but having free movement thereover for a limited period of time before setting into rmly xed adherence to the glass. In order to apply the initial W of the given name in its proper position, the marginal spacing must be determined and the letter after moistening then may be pressed against the inner surface of the show-window with the upper portion of the W along at least one of the horizontal lines 4 of the guide sheet. The period I may thereafter be moistened and applied in suitable spaced relation to the W, and the remaining letters DOE may thereafter be selected and moistened and successively applied in alinement with the selected horizontal line of the guide sheet and with the proper spacing and vertical alinement of the letters determined by the parallel vertical lines of the guide sheet.

After the individual letters of the single production sign W. DOE have been applied to the inner surface of the show-window, the selected backing sheet 8 is applied over such letters, the sectional view of the sign and guide sheet presenting the appearance illustrated in Fig. 4. After the suitable alinement and attachment of the backing sheet rearwardly of the letters of the sign, the excess moisture is squeegeed from the margins of the backing sheet and the sign itself is permitted to remain in increasingly firm adherence to the glass. The guide sheet 3, however, on the outer surface of the glass must be removed within the period provided for its late setting, the cross-sectional vieW of the sign after the removal of the guide sheet being that shown in Fig. 5.

As has been indicated, the guide sheet ordinarily will be provided with parallel horizontal lines and parallel vertical lines to provide for the alinement and spacing of the various characters. Where the sign is to be applied to the window along curved lines, the aligning lines I I are of arcuate shape as shown in Fig. 6, and in place of parallel vertical lines, the spacing lines are in the form of radii I2, as shown in Fig. 6. Where the sign is to follow a reverse curve, the alining lines I3, as shown in Fig. '7, are parallel to each other and follow the desired curvature for the assembled letters of the sign, and the spacing lines at the point of upward curvature comprise radii I 4 of the circle described by such upwardly curved lines, while the spacing lines I5 at the point of encased downward curvature of the aligning lines i3 are drawn to the radius of the circle described vb such downwardly curved portions of the lines i3.

If desired, the letters for signs to be made upon either of the arcs of curvature heretofore described Inay be provided, although very satisfactory effects can be obtained with letters of stand'- ard construction.

l the applied characters of the sign of a backing sheet preferably of a highly contrasting characv ter and with a high degree of light transmitting characteristics.

`In Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawing, colors used in an illustrative specimen of the sign are shown, the letters 6 being of a dark blue, and the central area I6 of the backing sheet 8 being of a canary yellow. Y Above and below the canary'yellow central portion of the backing sheet, gray-toned areas I1 and I8 may be provided, the gray-toned area l1 being of narrower Width than the Inarginal portion I8, and having white line edges I9 at their inner" margins, each with an adjacent clear space 20. l This type of background may extend cornpletely across the show-window at the point Where the signis applied, preferably at its upper edge,` or may be restricted to a narrow area by cutting the backing sheet at the proper point and removing the excess material before it adheres to the adjacent surface of the glass.

Where a combination sign is to be applied, such sign involving a single production sign 2l having, for example, the name of the proprietor of the store in one line and a conventional quantity production sign unit 22 associated therewith, `the two types of signs may be combined in the manner illustrated in Fig. 10. In such case, the sini gle production sign containing the name of the proprietor W. DOE is formed in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 `to 5, inclusive, and before the backing sheet dries into rmk adherence to the adjacent glass surface, the lower margin thereof 23 is cut out to conformto the upper edge 24 of the quantity production sign unit 22.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of Ithose eX- plained, changes of steps being made in relation to the lstructure herein disclosed, provided the method statedby any ofthe following claims or ible translucent sheet material having an adhesive coating over said characters in accordance with the alinement indicated on said guide means. 2. A method of applying signs and the like to a support `of translucent sheet material, which includes the steps of placingv a flexible transparent adhesive-coated guide sheet carrying alinement and spacing lines on one side of said support, ap- `plying and positioning cut-out characters of ilexible adhesive-coated sheet material on the opposite side of said support in accordance with the alinement andspacing indicated by said guide means, thereafter applying a backing of flexible translucent sheetV material having an adhesive coating over said characters in accordance with the alinement indicated on said guide means, and

` finally stripping said guide means from the firstthe equivalent of such stated method lbe em- Y ployed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. A method of applying signs and the like to a support of translucent sheet material, which includes the steps of placing a flexible transparent adhesive-coated guide sheet carrying alinement and spacing lines on one side of said support, ap-

plying and positioning cut-out charactersof flexible adhesive-coated sheet material on the opposite side of said support in accordance with the alinement and spacing indicated by said guide means, and thereafter applying a backing of flexmentioned side of said support.

3. A method of applying signs to show-windows and the like, which includes the steps of placing a flexible transparent guide sheet having a slow-setting adhesive coating against one surface of said show-window, applyingflexible indidividual characters havinga slow-setting adhesive coating to the opposite side of said showwindow, and thereafter stripping said guide sheet from the first-mentioned side of said show-window before the setting of theadhesive thereon.

4. The process of forming signs, which consist of the steps of providing a flexible transparent adhesive-coated sheet having guide and spacing lines, dipping said sheet in water to render `said coating adhesive, and applying said sheet to one surface of a show-window or the like, providing cut-out characters of flexible adhesive-coated material to be assembled in a sign, dipping the same in water to render the coating adhesive, and placing the same in position on the surface of said show-window opposite the guide sheet, moving said characters into final position on the surface 'of said show-window in accordance With the alinement and spacing lines of said guide sheet, and thereafter stripping said guide sheet from the first-mentioned side of said show-window before the setting of the adhesive thereon.

5. The process of forming signs, which consists of the stepsof providing a flexible transparent adhesive-coated sheet having guide and spacing lines, dipping said sheet in water to render said coating adhesive, and applying said sheet to one surface of a show-window or the like, providing `cut-out characters of flexible adhesive-coated material to be assembled in a sign, dipping the same in water to render `the coating adhesive, and placing the same in position on the surface of said show-window opposite the guide sheet, moving said characters into final position on the surface of said show-window in accordance with stripping said guide sheet from the first mentioned sideof said show-window before the setting of the adhesive thereon.

ARTHUR J LAWSV 

